Ayatollah Khamenei's opinion on Christianity

Jesus Christ's value to Muslims is no less than that of Christians

The Virgin Mary was a young woman who stood firm against the accusations and suspicions of the people in her town and region, and she returned to her people holding her son in her arms. A girl came to a temple and stayed there until her youth. What factors and motivations caused her to resist all those temptations with such superhuman power? If her power was not superhuman, the issue would not be so greatly emphasized in the Holy Quran. The Holy Quran says “guarded her chastity," which means that she remained pure.

2015

Iranian minorities made significant sacrifices for their country

Jan 26, 2015

Whenever I go to the houses of Armenian and Assyrian martyrs - this year too, I fortunately managed to visit the houses of a number of Armenian martyrs - I see that they are committed to their country. They have really behaved in a committed way. I remember that during the time of war, a number of Armenian Christians went to Ahwaz. I saw that a number of people were sitting inside the airport. I asked, "Who are these people?" they said, "They are Armenians and they are going to the front lines for industrial affairs. They have come to render services". The Armenians are skilled at industrial and technical affairs. The late Chamran employed them. They made efforts, they rendered services and some of them were martyred.
One of the members of an Armenian family whom I visited last week had a son in the army. He said, "When his military service was over, he was unhappy because the war was continuing. He said, 'My military service is over. What should I do now?' Later on, it was announced that those who have done their military service for a few months should join the army again. He became happy at this call-up and he joined the front lines. Later on, he was martyred and his body was brought to us". We can witness such nationalistic feelings among our non-Muslim compatriots. Well, they made efforts and we hope that the Islamic government can carry out its responsibility in this regard. They really behaved in a committed - in the real sense of the word - way toward the country.

Islam taught us to behave in a fair way toward the followers of other religions

Jan 26, 2015

We have learned from Islam that we should behave in a fair way toward the followers of other religions. This is Islam's command to us. Today, what is witnessed in the world is that powers and those governments which claim to support justice do not at all behave in a fair way except in the inner circle of their narrow, limited and oppressive polices. Today, you can see that in Europe and America, they use massive propaganda against Muslims. The issue is not why Muslims do not have any freedom in many of these countries. Rather, the issue is why they do not have any security. The movie "American Sniper", which has produced some reactions and which has been made by Hollywood, encourages a Christian or non-Muslim to harass Muslims as much as he can. In fact, according to what others have said - we have not seen this movie - it encourages such courses of action.
This is not at all accepted by Islam. Islam believes in justice. On the issue of that attack [on the city of al-Anbar] the Commander of the Faithful (peace and greetings be upon him) said, "I have come to know that every one of them entered upon Muslim women and non-Muslim women" [Nahjul Balaghah, Sermon 27]. In this sermon, he says that some people have entered the houses of Muslim and Muahida women - muahid means Jewish and Christian individuals who have formed an alliance with Muslims and who live under the protection of Islam - to take away their ornaments and harass them.
Then, Hazrat says, "If any Muslim dies of grief after all this, he is not to be blamed". If a Muslim dies of grief at the harassment of non-Muslim women by the army of the enemies and looters - they entered their houses and took away their ornaments - he is not to be blamed.This is the viewpoint of Islam.

2014

Insulting the holy prophets is not acceptable

Mar 6, 2014

They insult everything that is sacred. They easily insult holy and enlightened personalities and stain their honor in the name of freedom. They insult prophets and great personalities, not only our Holy Prophet (s.w.a.), but also all prophets. In another meeting, I said to officials in charge of cultural affairs that many of our officials in this area are not aware of cultural issues. For example, they do not read different books and most of them are not in the middle of the arena. I said to them that these arrogant powers insult Prophet Moses, Prophet Jesus and other great prophets (peace be upon them all). This exists today. So, this arrogant camp, which used to control global affairs, has been defeated and severely criticized in moral fronts as well

2005

The Renaissance paradise turned into an inferno

May 9, 2005

When the Westerners during the renaissance period in Europe separated religion from science and politics, they intended to build a paradise on earth similar to the one promised to mankind by religions. That paradise has now turned into an inferno. This is something even admitted by the Westerners themselves.
It is true that the religion that European intellectuals in the renaissance period opposed was not a true religion but a body of superstitions. It was totally against scientific advances and discoveries. This is why Galileo was sentenced to death for his scientific views, and other scientists were also tortured and even died of torture for their scientific discoveries.
It was a distorted version of Christianity, not real Christianity. Therefore, there was nothing wrong with parting with this kind of religion in that period. However, the separation of spirituality and morality from science, politics, individual life and social relations was not a proper thing to do.
The Westerners replaced religion by science and rationality and said that there was no need for religion any longer. This was the condition prevailing in the 19th and 20th century. But for the past forty or fifty years, they have even been casting aspersions on rationality, rejecting all rational principles and advocating relativism and skepticism with regard to all principles, including moral, rational and even scientific principles.
This is not a proper paradigm to be imitated and followed by other nations. Imitating and following a failed model is a big mistake, as it will lead nowhere and promise no bright prospects.

Arrogance powers act in the name of Christianity without believing in it

May 1, 2005

The exceptional characteristic of the Islamic Republic is that it has stood up against a world in which power lies in the hands of those who have a tendency towards materialism and do not believe in the existence of any moral, spiritual and religious truth. The global powers act in the name of Christianity and use it as a tool to achieve their goals, but genuine Christianity as a divine faith and as an ethical system plays no role whatsoever in the political system that dominates the arrogant and oppressive governments. The world of arrogance is a world of transgression in the real sense of the word, a world that makes the best of science in order to commit crimes. Currently, science is in the hands of those who have not heard of human values. Science and technology are at the service of goals that are completely harmful to human communities and advantageous only to capitalists and wealthy and powerful people.

2004

Saint Mary a role model for believers

Aug 7, 2004

At the opposite end of the scale, Allah the Exalted mentions two women as models for believers: "And Allah sets forth, as an example to those who believe, the wife of Pharaoh. Behold she said: ‘O my Lord, Build for me, in nearness to You, a mansion in the Garden, and save me from Pharaoh and his doings'" [The Holy Quran, 66: 11]. One was the wife of Pharaoh and the other was Hazrat Maryam: "And Maryam the daughter of Imran" [The Holy Quran, 66: 12]. As for the first woman, she was not beguiled by the Pharaoh's palace. She was a woman who was raised in a Pharaoh-like manner and most probably, her parents and household members were the descendants of the same taghuts. She was living with utmost comfort and welfare, but faith in Musa conquered her heart and as a result, she believed in him. When she began to believe and know the path, she abandoned all that comfort and welfare and she was no more attracted to that great palace. She said, "O my Lord, Build for me, in nearness to You, a mansion in the Garden." She preferred a house in paradise and she attached no significance to the material life. As for Hazrat Maryam, "And Maryam the daughter of Imran, who guarded her chastity and We breathed into her body of Our spirit" [The Holy Quran, 66: 12]. She preserved her chastity. These are human values.

2000

Muslims’ respect for Jesus Christ no less than that of Christians

Dec 27, 2000

Undoubtedly, Muslims’ respect for Jesus Christ is no less than that of faithful Christians for him. This great divine prophet always made efforts during his lifetime to fight oppression, transgression, corruption, and those who tried to dominate nations by relying on their wealth and power and caused them to suffer both in this world and the hereafter. The sufferings which this great prophet endured since his childhood – God appointed him to his prophetic mission during his childhood – were all aimed at achieving these goals…..Today many of those who claim to follow the teachings of Jesus Christ are treading a path other than the one set by Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ led humans to worshiping God and opposing pharaohs and transgression. Today there are people who claim to be the followers of that great prophet but have taken the place of the pharaohs and Taghuts whom Jesus Christ used to oppose during his time.

Religious minorities supporting The Islamic Republic, a source of honor for it

Jul 9, 2000

Thankfully, the followers of many different faiths live together peacefully in the Islamic Republic. Jews, Christians, and Zoroastrians live alongside Muslims in the Islamic Republic. They cooperate with the Islamic Republic and play a role in the country. Of course they shoulder certain duties. The Islamic Republic also shoulders certain duties towards them as Iranian citizens which it fulfills. The Islamic Republic has no complaints against its citizens who are among the religious minorities of the country. When the enemies launch propaganda against the Islamic Republic in a sly manner, Jewish citizens publish statements. In other cases, Armenians or other religious minorities issued statements and expressed their support for the Islamic Republic. This is a source of honor for the Islamic Republic.

1995

Jesus Christ called on people to follow the path of God and Prosperity

Jan 2, 1995

Jesus Christ called on people to follow the path of God which is the path of prosperity for human beings. And he warned people against pursuing carnal desires and undermining their spiritual purity through engaging in evil deeds and oppressing others.
The corrupt and bullying powers that are dependent on wealth and power persecuted that divine prophet and leveled insults against him. They even tried to take his life. And when God saved the life of Jesus Christ, these powers inflicted several years of horrible torture on the disciples and followers of Jesus Christ. They were trying to put an end to the teachings of Jesus Christ which were against corruption, oppression, polytheism, causing war, deceiving people, and pursuing carnal desires.
Those corrupt and oppressive powers who pursued carnal desires, caused wars against people, and deceived them could not tolerate the existence of divine faiths and prophets and those who followed the path of God.
Today, too, those kinds of powers would not tolerate the servants of God and the followers of the divine religions or truth seekers. Following Jesus Christ (peace be upon him) requires supporting the truth and abhorring the powers against the truth; hopefully Christians and Muslims anywhere in the world, will keep alive in their life and deeds this great lesson taught by Jesus Christ.

1994

Jesus never hesitated to fight evil and call people to piety

Jan 3, 1994

Jesus Christ was equipped with the power of performing miracles and carried a divine message for humanity which saved them from the darkness of polytheism, atheism, ignorance, and oppression and guided them towards justice, knowledge, and worshiping God. He never hesitated to fight evil and call people to piety throughout his life.
And this is the lesson which all Christians and Muslims who believe in the prophethood of Jesus Christ should learn. Today humanity is in need of these teachings more than ever before. And Islam which is a complement to real Christianity has put calling humanity to piety and moral perfection high on its priority list. Making use of the great powers of nature through their God-given knowledge, misguided humans tend to tread a different path, and this makes the duty of the followers of divine faiths even heavier.
The domineering powers and governments of the world have made life difficult for nations and individuals and do not refrain from inflicting any type of oppression on them. They do these things in the name of Christianity. These powers are in fact totally unaware of the teachings of Jesus Christ.

1991

If Jesus Christ were among us today

Dec 28, 1991

If Christ were among us today, he would not spare even a single moment to fight the leaders of despotism and global arrogance; nor would he tolerate hunger and wandering of millions of people, degenerated by the hegemonic and colonialist powers into war, corruption, and violence. Jesus Christ, who is the manifestation of divine attributes, raised the flag of guiding and saving humans at a time when ignorance, injustice, and inattention to human values were prevalent. He stood up to oppressing powers – which were dependent on their wealth and power – and he promoted justice, mercy, and monotheism. Today those who believe in that great prophet – Muslims and Christians – should follow the teachings and the path of divine prophets and try to promote human virtues on the basis of the teachings of these prophets.

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Despite all enmities, Good Word of Islamic Republic is becoming stronger everyday.